


Baba Takes New York

by Effloresense



Series: Before London [1]
Category: Voltage Inc., kbtbb, スイートルームで悪戯なキス | Kissed By the Baddest Bidder
Genre: Angst, F/M, Love Triangles, Makeup Sex, Smut, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-21 07:44:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4821008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Effloresense/pseuds/Effloresense
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On request from Eisuke, Baba and Ota are on the way to New York for a particular item. MC, unhappy at always being alone asks to go along, with Ota acting as bodyguard during the times Baba is working. Nothing can ever go exactly according to plan however. Baba biased story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day 0

Even the soft way he tucks my hair behind my ear doesn't make this easier. “But I feel like you just got back!” I know that I sound petulant at the moment with the whine that escaped in my reaction to his news that he was going overseas yet again. It's just heartbreaking to be so lonely with him gone all the time, and not having nearly the support structure in Dubai that I had back in Tokyo. He'd been back less than a week before giving me this news. 

He pulls me into an embrace, rubbing my back in an effort to soothe me. “It's only going to be for two weeks, baby, and then it'll be at least a month before I have to travel again.” He kisses me on the top of my head and pulls back a little to look at me. 

It's too much. My lip starts trembling and my eyes water with the threat of tears as I struggle not to cry. I knew what I was getting into, falling for the man who stole my heart so many times over. He lifts my chin up, and I see the sadness in his eyes deepening into concern as he sees me struggle. “Baba, it's so lonely here. I try to have friends, but it's never the same, and I keep wondering when we're going to pick up and head to the next casino that Eisuke's developing and…. I… I just miss you so much.” 

It's selfish of me; I never speak like this. But I thought we would have more time together after Kaido was arrested, and it keeps just being one more thing. 

He wipes away a tear that leaked through with his thumb as he searches my face for an answer. He gently suggests, “Why don't you take a vacation back to Tokyo. See your Mom, see your friends, relax a little and meet me back here?”

“Because that doesn't get me over the missing you so badly portion of things. At least here I have things that remind me of you.” I cast my eyes back downward, unable to look at him so intently anymore. I know I have to let him go. He promised me this was only going to be for a few more years before he retired. “And I try really hard to support you because I know how important this all is to you, it just has been so very much lately, I barely see you 1 week out of every 4. I'm sorry.”

“I'm the one that's sorry, beautiful. Damn Eisuke for asking me to do this.” His hand grasps slightly in the midst of his plea before resuming stroking my hair. “You know I wouldn't leave you so soon if it wouldn't bring in a personal favor from him, right?”

That startles me. Eisuke almost never asks for something from the other auction sponsors that would put him in someone's debt. My tears stop, and I look back at him quizzically. “Did he say why?”

He chuckles briefly. “No, but it probably has something to do with his plans within plans. I try not to get too involved there. Plausible deniability is always a good thing.”

Which gives me an idea. If I can't keep him here just a little longer... I think he catches the glint in my eye as I open my mouth. His finger points upward trying to warn me off. 

“Oh no. Noooo no no nonono.”  
“Baba, why don't…”   
“I know that look. This one is way too dangerous.”   
“That will only leave me worrying if I'm back in Tokyo and everyone will freak out that there's something I can't talk to them about it.”

He is clearly looking for any excuse to keep me from asking what I want to ask. “I will not be able to concentrate knowing that you are in harm's way there. This is not a game.”

“You were already saying that you were going with Ota to get an immediate appraisal before trying to get it out of New York.” I plead with him. “It's good to have an alibi, even with the amazing disguises you have right? Plus I know you will save me whatever happens!”

I can see his resolve wavering. I give him the biggest puppy dog eyes I can. “And Ota has friends in New York so we can get some alone time too. He can disguise as you, you can disguise as someone else, you have an alibi and I'm not left alone.” 

His face looks grim. “Ota will think we're inviting him for a threesome on this. Or might try to take advantage of the time alone.” His eyes are looking slightly past me and he's fidgeting with my hair now. I can tell he's already accepted defeat, but he's trying not to.

I smile brightly. “I think after two years, I can manage to handle Ota at this point. And I know he's ultimately scared of you.”… “Pleeeease? I've never seen New York, and it gives me a chance to practice my English with native speakers before we move to London.”

His grim face relaxes as he pulls me into a tighter embrace. “I am so tightly wound right around your tiny pinkie finger, princess, what ever am I going to do with you?”

I can't help but grin into his comforting chest. “Kiss me 'til I'm dizzy and shower me with love.” Next thing I know I'm scooped up and he is moving towards the bedroom with me in his arms.

“As m'lady requests, then.” There are no more words that night.


	2. Day 1

It surprises me when we step out and it's towards Eisuke's private jet. Baba knows how uncomfortable it makes me to put Mr Ichinomiya out like this, but when I look over at him while he escorts me to the tarmack, he gives me one of his winks. I swear, I can't help but smile when he looks at me like that. His hand at the small of my back feels so warm and gentle. 

“Are you sure Mr Ichinomiya isn't going to need his jet in the next two weeks?” I turn around and worriedly ask down the steps to Baba, trying to find any reason that maybe we can shift to a commercial airline. 

Baba chuckles, “I know he will.” He shifts the case he's carrying and gently pushes me to keep moving up the stairs. “I already have the lucky date picked out. The plane will be back in time. I told you, you don't need to worry, princess. Just enjoy the vacation, the rest will be handled.” He leans in to murmur in my ear when we reach the top to enter the plane. “Besides, Eisuke isn't here to make you uncomfortable, so let me spoil you a little and enjoy the high life for a little.” His breath is hot on my ear and makes my heart skip a beat. 

I see the top of a pale head bent down as I walk in the door and enter into the main cabin. I lightly smack him and deflect best I can to try to bring down my racing heart. “I'm already too spoiled by you, Baba. Oh! Hello, Ota!”

Ota doesn't look up. He's busy sketching in a large pad, focusing just on what is in front of him, his hand moving fast with the pastels. I can't quite see what he's doing, but I couldn't tell if he didn't hear me, or if he was intentionally ignoring us. I sort of shift uncomfortably, not used to seeing Ota working like this. Baba puts down his case within Ota's field of vision to go back to talk with the attendant, and it's enough of a change in the environment that when Ota reaches to change pastels he sees it and looks up. 

Ota smiles and looks back down to finish his work. “Oh, sorry, I didn't hear you bark.” Maybe it's just the almost two years I've endured his teasing when he greets me, but it does always seem like that smile of his has a sinister edge to it. Most days I don't bother to correct him, letting it roll off my back, but if I'm going to be in his company, I need to be clearer. “I'm not a dog, Ota.”

Baba finishes up with talking to the attendant and the doors close, a smile on his face. “Ota, you best not be calling my princess a bitch.”

Ota laughs it off as he places his pastels back in the box, and stows away his drawing. “I would never do that, Baba, I think it's sweet the way she wags her tail for you.”

“That's because I treat her like the treasure she is. You have to value someone to gain the kind of loyalty you want.” The attendants bring out a bottle of champagne as we taxi towards takeoff, Baba and I taking our seats across from Ota. “Your problem is that you pick up these women with that Angelic SmileTM of yours and the moment you get all moody and they won't respond as you want, you get bored and kick them out.”

Ota tosses me a very pointed look, and I immediately look down to take a slightly larger sip of my champagne than I intended, blushing at the way he is looking at me. “There has to be a lovely woman as accommodating as _______, here. Though if you would just share, Baba, that would be sufficient.”

I have to prove to Baba that this was not a bad idea for me to come along and I can handle Ota on my own. With as rude a comment as that was, I cannot be having my whole trip overshadowed by that. “Oh, I don't think I can be as obedient as the ingratiating fangirls that you bring home, Ota. I actually have a spine. Besides, I only have eyes for Baba.”

Baba quietly pulls out his guitar from the case he carried on board, a vaguely amused look on his face as he starts to tune it. 

Ota laughs. “That only makes it more fun to train a girl, _______.”

“And here I thought that was called Stockholm Syndrome.”

Ota chokes a little on his champagne. I don't think he quite expected that. I can tell Baba is trying really hard not to laugh from the way his head is down and his shoulders are shaking slightly. Guitar almost in tune.

“Baba, why the hell am I going on this lover's tryst again?”

Baba doesn't even bother to look up. “It's work. And I don't want to go to the work to get it out of the US if it's not legit. Plus, you're to keep _______ out of trouble and let her see NYC while I'm busy. Besides, you were just talking about how you missed NY the other day.” Baba's fingers start plucking out some acoustic something or other. He's good. 

My affection wells up for him as I'm impressed by him yet again. “Baba, seriously, is there anything you can't do?”

He chuckles. “Don't ask me to assemble IKEA furniture. And I won't go near a beehive for anything.”

Ota is leaning back, legs crossed, delicately holding his champagne glass. “But really Baba, early 90s American hair band music? If it's going to be like this the whole 13 hours to New York, I'm going to go hide from the sappiness.”

“Hey, I have to be in line for my gig, and I need to be able to play anything. Extreme is the least of my troubles.” 

“Gig?” He's told me so little of what's going on, but I guess part of what he needs to do is be a musician?

Another wink from him, “Nothing for you to worry about, princess. But if you would like a serenade, I would be happy to oblige.” Ota is glaring, and clearly in a rather foul mood. I'll get him to sing for me later then, I hope. I have to do something to smooth things over or this is going to be an excessively long flight. 

“No, no, it's okay. I'll just read my novel.” I pull out a book and curl up in one of the super comfortable chairs with it, trying to withdraw from the conversation now. I don't feel like I can do anything more for this now. 

Baba's fingers transition to another song that I don't recognize, but is highly intricate. Conversation just sort of dies for the time being as Baba plays, Ota looks out the window, and I at least make a show of reading even though I don't really take anything in until I am lulled to sleep. 

*********************

The first thing I notice traveling in the limo from the airport to the hotel is that the further we get from the airport the fewer trees I'm seeing. Even the denser areas of Tokyo have more trees than this. It's old seeming, but not so old as Rome. 

It's certainly more dense than Dubai, and that proves to me just how much I've acclimatized to the desert city in the last year. There is so much… up here. At least once we reach Manhattan. 

“Her tongue even lolls like a puppy.” Ota snickers at the other end of the seating. I snap my mouth shut and look down; I hadn't even realized it was open as I was looking.

Baba is stroking my hair, “But she looks so adorable when she's in awe, soaking up a new city.”

“That's what I said,” Ota sulks.

This conversation is just embarrassing, I can only look at my hands. “I will aim to look less like a tourist.” It's not like I don't know how to live in a big city, but I may have lost a bit of awareness living in a city as small as Dubai. 

“You just be you, princess. We won't be leaving you alone in the city, as I know you are still working on learning to be more fluent in English. I wouldn't want you to get in a bad situation by yourself, plus no one would mess with a couple of dangerous thugs like us.” His smile is just so dazzling sometimes. Still, I can't help but scowl at him; I don't like him putting himself down like that.

“Speak for yourself, Baba. There is nothing about this face that is thug like at all.” He flashes his Angelic Smile just to make a point, but it is one of the coldest things I think I've seen. I really hope this was a good idea. Ota has been seeming extra prickly since we got on the plane. Maybe he really did think there was a threesome possibility on this trip. I feel a little guilty for asking to come along just so I can sightsee and be with Baba. 

I'm quiet while they check in to the hotel we're staying at. It's not a name I recognize from the hospitality industry, which surprises me. I would have thought it would have been at least one of the big name hotels, but apparently it's some luxury boutique hotel. But we're near a small green space, and apparently near some of the attractions I had been hoping to see. 

Baba takes care of checking us in, and a bellhop gestures that we should follow him up to the largest suite. He's taking care of all of our luggage except for Baba's guitar that for some reason Ota is carrying now. “Enjoy your stay, Mrs Sato.” I smile and bow, not letting my surprise at changing my last name register on my face. It's little touches like that that remind me that this trip isn't mere siteseeing that I just try to shove down. I knew what I was getting involved with. 

The multiroom suite is as lush as any other high end hotel. It really seems they all start to look alike after a while; they may be traditional or contemporary, but it's all sleek and soft in its way. Bedrooms are on either side of the main room, each with their own bathroom. It even looks like there's a full top shelf bar stocked in the main room. 

Ota makes sure his luggage is dropped off into the room he'll be staying in, grabs his key and a backpack, and waves. “Have fun, lovebirds. I'll be back later, I'm going to swing by my studio.” Of course he would have kept a studio in New York. 

“Take care, Ota,” I shout at the door as it closes softly but definitively. 

Baba has flopped out on the bed like a starfish when I poke my head in there. He opens an eye to see that I am there, and lifts his arms in a clear indication that he wants me to come over, a cheesy grin on his face. I can't help by laugh and lightly pounce on him for some cuddles, finally alone with him for the first time in what feels like a day. 

“Is Ota going to be okay? He's seemed off this whole trip so far.”

Baba's eyes are closed again and he shifts to snuggle me more closely. “He's just his typical moody self. I think he's feeling like a third wheel knowing that nothing lewd is going to happen and he's not having as easy a time teasing you when there isn't more of an audience.”

“Is it really okay that I came along, Baba?” My uncertainty is blatant in my voice. 

He aimlessly waves a hand dismissively. “He'll go find some fangirl for the night, or explode some new concept on a canvas, and he'll be in a better mood when we see him tomorrow.” His arms tighten around me, and he cracks an eye open to look at me, a tense little frown upon his lips. “My mood, however, will entirely depend on if I can get you to stop thinking about another man tonight and focus on me.”

I blush at that, and bite my lower lip. I guess I have been overly concerned with Ota and not paying so much attention to Baba. He smiles at me and brushes a strand of hair behind my ear. “It is no fair, you looking that delicious, princess. I can't even pretend to be grumpy with you when you look at me like that."

His lips are hungry upon mine. “Let me… show you… just how much you … are … the only man … for me, Baba.” I don't even know how my dress managed to start falling off, his hand inside and massaging my breast as our lips tease and taste each other. 

He pauses to lift my dress off of me, so I am merely in my underwear on top of him. I'm slowly managing to unbutton his shirt inbetween nibbles of his lips. His firm chest exposed under my hands feels hot under my fingertips, his heart racing as much as mine, a molten feeling in the center of myself. He quickly undoes his jeans and as I try to move off of him, he removes them and his underwear, holding me in place above him. 

“Uh uh, you on top today, babe. Would you do that for me?” His eyes are serious, and I'm frozen in place. 

“But… I should close the door at least, if Ota comes back…”

His jaw tenses and he grabs my wrist before I can get up to go close the door. “Ota won't be back for hours.”

“At least let me turn off the lights...”

His face softens. “I want to recharge looking at you, beautiful. Please.” His other hand trails down the center of my chest, giving me a shiver as that line is hotter than anywhere else on my body. I can never resist him when he uses that tone with me. 

As I lean down to kiss him, he manages to get the rest of his pants down far enough that I can shift my panties to the side and carefully angle him into me. The look on his face is of pure adoration as I work to a balance point, my hands on his chest to keep me steady. I unfurl as I take him into myself, the stretch just pushing me just to the edge before discomfort. 

I start slowly grinding, a groan escaping his lips as his hands grip tighter on my hips. I find my rhythm, my hands lightly grazing his abs to maintain balance. One of his hands drifts towards my button, the other slipping under my bra to roll my nipple. Each press, each pinch, earns him a clench of my inner walls and pulls gradually more ragged groans from him as he watches me so intensely. 

I build speed until I start becoming more erratic with each tweak of his fingers sending me shuddering this way and that. He grows impatient with the pauses these cause and grabs hold of my hips so he can slam into me from below, his head thrown back until his eyes fly open to watch me and we are both exploding in pleasure. 

I fall down on top of his chest as the aftershocks ripple through me. His fingers trail lazily along my back, and I nuzzle him in my best cat like cuddle surrendering to afterglow bliss for a while before we clean up and head to a delightful dinner on the town.


	3. Day 2

I awaken alone in the bed. The day looks bright outside, and the clock says it's just before noon. The bed has an indentation where Baba had slept, but it's cool, so he must have been up for a while. Maybe he started some breakfast!

I wrap myself in my hotel bathrobe and step out into the main room to see Baba looking down as he buttons up his shirt. I quietly walk over while he's distracted and wrap my arms around him with a nuzzle. He seems to freeze for a second before he stops and wraps his arms around me as well. 

I'm reveling in his petting my hair when he leans down and whispers to me, “You are a naughty girl, _______. Getting frisky first thing in the morning like this.” I go completely rigid, my eyes wide. That was not Baba's whisper. I look up, and his smile is a cruel smirk instead. I yelp and clutch my bathrobe when I jump back realizing that this is not Baba. 

Ota laughs heartily to see me so freaked out. All I can do is blink multiple times. He looks just like Baba. Well, almost. If I look closely, his hair is parted different. He is just a little stockier. Clearly his face though so very well reproduced, doesn't look as congenial.

“Holy crap, Ota. W-why didn't you say something sooner?”

“I had a woman literally throw herself at me. It would be against Baba's code to not at least reciprocate a little. I'm getting into character.” That smile is really unnerving. 

I start scrambling back to my room to get dressed. “I didn't think you needed to get into character, just look like him a little to make sure we don't stand out to anyone who sees us in case they are questioned.”

“Oh, but where would the fun be in that? This is FAR more confusing for you then.” He is having way too much fun with this. I dress as quickly as I possibly can, ready for site seeing, before I walk back out. “You should grab some of the continental breakfast Baba made sure was here for you when you woke. It's over in the kitchenette.”

I pad over there to have a croissant and cup of coffee out of the pot that has been sitting there. Ota is taking care of a few finishing touches to make sure the mask is secure and flawlessly blended. I'm zoning out blissing on the coffee when I feel my hair being ruffled again. 

“Stop that.” 

“Oh come on, your hair is so fluffy. It begs to be messed with. Just like you.” I glare at him. “I'm doing this as a favor to you and Baba. Now. I can leave you alone the rest of the trip if you insist.”

Baba wouldn't let me step outside the suite alone in New York, and my whole reason for coming would be shot down. I relax with a slightly vexed look. “You don't have to do that. I'm sorry.” I can't meet his eyes like this, so I just shove some of the rest of my croissant into my mouth.

“You really do have one of the most expressive faces I've ever seen,” he chuckles. “So,” he sits up on the counter, “Where would you like to see today, 'm'lady'.” I really hope my head doesn't explode with his mock-chivalrous behavior today or this is going to be a long trip. 

I toss back the rest of my coffee. “I was thinking of starting with the Empire State building. I'd love to see some art deco architecture up close.”

There's a pause as he looks at me in a far more familiar way than I'm comfortable before he leaps back off the counter and grabs a jacket. “That will be a fine enough start. You ready to get started then?”

“Um, sure, I just need to slip on my shoes.”

“I hope they are walking comfortable enough to go with your cute outfit. We're about 6 blocks from there.” Cute? I am so unsettled by this morning. But he's at least trying to kind of act normal. I guess. For Ota at least. He's walking toward the door fast enough, I kind of have to scramble after him, putting my shoes on as I move closer.

He pauses at the door, and holds his hand outstretched. I freeze at the site and look up at him when I realize what he's doing. He has a smirk on his face again.

“Your leash. You want people to know that you're with your husband, right Mrs *Sato*?” I cringe at the not-my-last-name of his comment. But he's right. The moment we step out those doors, I need to act like there is nothing different between him and Baba, just in case. 

“I'm not a pet, Ota,” I grumble as I gingerly take his hand. 

“Sure you are. And I'm going to take as good care of you as I did Koro.” He smiles, and for some reason it looks a little more genuine, even as I'm glaring again. 

*********************

We walk between the twin griffins into the lobby of the Empire State building, and I'm wrapped up in the warmth of the rich marble and the brilliant sign in front of me. There's not just a lot of up in New York; there's a lot of up just in this building.

I feel a finger under my chin press lightly and I snap my mouth shut. He's laughing at me. “You are so uncultured. I can't have you drooling like that; I have an image to maintain.”

My eyes go wide and I wipe at the edges of my mouth. Completely dry. This only makes him laugh harder. “That was not funny.” It's not even his image that he has to maintain; no one is going to know Baba from any other tourist. 

“Oh, man, wrong again, that was hilarious. Even after all this time you still trust me, like some kind of puppy.”

Now I'm pouting. “I'm not a puppy.” I have to glare at him as he pulls me in closer. Instead of holding his hand, his arm snakes lightly around my waist. 

“I'll just have to choke up on your leash for now, _______. I can't have you getting lost in this crowd or running away in excitement.”

“Are you even listening to me?” 

This is entirely too familiar for my comfort, and my back is rigid as he starts leading me. His tone, however, is now gentle. “Come on, let's get in line, we're going to have to do this a lot to get up to the observation deck.” He leans in to my ear to whisper, “At least pretend you're enjoying yourself. You don't want any lines getting stuck in your face because you're just so up tight.” I can feel my cheeks flush with his close proximity and his teasing.

He's smiling as he looks ahead to the front of the line, not even looking at me anymore. Evil glint in his eye. But as he moves us forward and get more into single line, I can feel the warmth from his hand, carefully guiding me from the small of my back.

*********************

Like much of the rest of the press of humanity within the building, the elevators are crowded. But instead of doing anything pervy as I half expected, Ota was a complete gentleman, protecting me from the crush of people. 

We finally get to the open air observatory, and after looking around I quickly sprint to an open binoculars to start looking around. 

“Out in that direction, you can see past Grand Central station, Rockefeller Center, and further that way, Central Park.” He strolls right up behind me, and his hand is back to the small of my back as I'm looking through the binoculars.

“I had no idea Central Park was so big and green!”

“Well, the city planners decided to put all their trees in one place once they realized the city was building up too fast. The Bryant of Bryant Park where we're staying was a driving force behind Central Park even existing, so they gave him his own small green space.”

“That hardly seems fair.”

He gently turns the binoculars to guide me to look in a slightly different direction. “Now, if you look off in that direction, you're not only looking at the states of New York and Connecticut, but the furthest part is Massachusetts.” I don't know much of US geography; I must have had a confused look on my face. “It's a little like being able to see Mount Fuji from Tokyo. But without there being much in the way of mountains here.”

I look at him and he's clearly serious when he says that, so I look through to try to discern if I can tell what's what. He chuckles again. My time runs out there, and he starts tugging me to a different section of the deck to plop another coin into a different set of binoculars. He finds something quickly, and steps aside for me to look through.

It's centered right on a green female statue holding a torch and spikes coming out of her head. “Oh! I know this one, is this the Statue of Liberty?” 

“Wow, a puppy that knows how to read!”

He gets a light smack for that. But I'm grinning because it's so cool. “Which states are this direction?”

“Ah, well, that's New Jersey, and if you look out that way where it gets really green, that would be Pennsylvania.” 

I look at a couple more bridges, and when that time runs out, I just look out into the distance for a while. “Did you travel a lot when you were living in New York?”

He shrugs, looking like he doesn't want to talk much about it. “Some. It was a few years that I was here, after all. But mostly there was so much in the City that I always had something to go off and explore.” And the conversation stalls there. Well, I guess that's not a topic to be broached again.

We start walking around a little more, and I see the skyline to the south. “Hey, could you take a photo of me with the skyline in the background?” I hold out my phone to him, perhaps a little excitedly.

“Only you would ask a world famous artist to take a souvenir photo with a phone camera,” he laughs and shakes his head. But he takes it with only a brief eyebrow raise when he takes it. 

He takes a few pictures, and then stands next to me, his arm around my shoulders. I freeze again. “With you even having a picture of Baba as your phone background, your friends will be suspicious if you don't have ANY photos with your boyfriend while you're on this trip, especially at the famous sites.”

He's smiling his Angelic Smile, muffled by the layers of makeup and latex. I'm sure the first ones are with shock on my face. But when I finally relax into it, he kisses me on the cheek and snaps the picture quick. I don't know that I've ever been that red before. 

We straighten, and pull apart a little. He tosses my phone at me, and I have to react quick to catch it. Holy cow that would have been bad if it had fallen on the concrete. I glare at him again as he puts his hand back in the small of my back to push me towards the elevators back down. “The 102nd floor is okay, but it's mostly just the same view. Where you do want to head next?”

I'm still flush as we ride down. Just as my ears start to hurt as we're descending again, Ota pinches my nose. I start to puff up, ticked off that he's messing with me again when my ears pop and I can hear again. He smirks and lets go, moving to grab my hand as he leads me back onto the street and to the next site I have in mind. 

This is a seriously strange day, and I don't even begin to know what to make of it. 

*********************

I feel someone crawl in bed behind me as I drowsily wake up in the wee hours of the morning. He breathes deeply and kisses my hair with some light caresses. 

I stretch and wriggle against him. “Mmmmmmm. Morning, Baba.”

“Shhhhh shh shh, baby. Go back to sleep.” His fingers gently stroke my skin leaving trails of warmth all up and down my sides.

I don't listen to him, rolling over so I can wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. “Don't wanna. Glad you're here now,” I say after a few minutes of love. I'll admit, I grabbed his hair to make sure it was him, and it was. He buries his face into the crook of my neck and shoulder as he clasps me tight. He smells different, the smell of a new city upon him. The feel of his arms around me relaxes me as much as the teasing of his fingers excites me. 

“So, princess, did you have a good first day in New York? Was Ota appropriate?” I'm pretty certain he's asking more for the second part more than the first. I don't want to worry him as nothing horrid happened. 

“He teased me like usual, but once we were outside the suite he was gentleman enough. Other than the teasing. Did I mention he teases?”

“Gentleman enough?” I could hear the skepticism in his voice, and I really REALLY don't want to worry him when I know things are going to be rough this time.

“He'd never be you, Baba.” I kiss his nose lightly. “But yeah, gentleman enough.” He relaxes just that little bit. I better never tell him about my morning confusion. That was all me anyway. “We saw a few sites around here, had some decent Greek food, and then he took me to a Broadway musical after dinner.” Or the kiss. Oh hell, I shouldn't keep that photo; I need to erase that later. 

“Oh really?” His voice is bright as he strokes my hair. 

I shake my head briefly. “Yeah, it was a little confusing. There was crossdressing. And something about Berlin. But the emotions were very clear and it seemed like a romance so I was swept away with it as it was sweet. I got a CD.”

His laughter is like coming home again and he kisses me deeply. I can feel his joy and love in that kiss. And then kisses me on my forehead.

“It sounds like a decent enough first day then. We should get to sleep, princess.” His hand on my head is lulling me to drowsiness again. But I haven't heard about his day!

“What about you? Did you have a good day of work?” His chuckle is quiet and I think he's shaking his head at my asking when his hands move back to lightly caressing my back.

“It was fine, baby. Don't worry about it. It'll be a couple days of prep before I'm fruitful.”

I snuggle in closer to him with a quiet, “Mkay. Love you, Baba.”

His hand stops briefly and then resumes when he gently kisses my head again, “I love you too, princess.” And we drift off to sleep in each other's arms.


	4. Day 3

It was innocent enough. Ota was waiting for some of the fixative to set his mask this morning when I came out of the shower, casually dressed and towel drying my hair to grab a bottle of water. His shirt awkwardly buttoned up, things a little askew, and a bored expression on his face. 

Ota pats a chair in front of him, “Here, sit down, I'll blowdry your hair so we can get going faster.”

My hand stops rubbing my hair with the towel as I look at him for a second. I'm dumbfounded. “Come on, come on, I'll make your hair stunning today.” He looks a little excited for the prospect even. I'm not sure I've seen him like that before. But the offer is kind. 

“O-ok.” I sit down gingerly, tentatively. 

“I have to wait for things to dry on my face anyway before I can get to finishing touches.” He grabs the dryer, and immediately gets to work, a big grin on his face. It's not always easy to get things styled right, and while I balk at first, the cajoling is oddly comforting. Besides, how often do you get an offer from an artist of most things tangible to style your hair?

As Baba walks out of the bedroom though and stops to look at us there giggling, me protesting yet again that my name is not Koro no matter how much Ota used to do this for his dog, I'm fairly certain Baba's jaw is carved of stone. But the smile on his face is so jovial, maybe I was mistaken.

“Man, it's a little like looking in a fun house mirror. Where's my hair? Is that what I'm going to look like bald?” He's pulling his hand through his hair as it to check that it was still there as he walks over to the refrigerator. 

I turn my shiniest smile on him as I look up more fully. “You could never go bald, Baba, but you'll still be gorgeous even if you do.” He glances at me as I say that, and he looks a little softer. Ota's hand stops briefly, giving me a warm spot but not enough that I yelp. 

“I think that's done, go on get ready.” Ota is cordial, but it sounds a little cooler than when we were joking around as he turns off the dryer.

“But my hair's not dry yet.”

“You don't want to scorch it. Didn't your mother teach you anything? Now get.” He turns away with the dryer, closing things up so he can go back to fixing his makeup in the hallway mirror. 

I go back briefly to toss on a blouse and my jeans and fix my makeup lightly. When I start coming back out however, I can hear that their conversation is low and a little heated.

“I'm telling you I was just waiting for my face to dry and looking for something to do with my hands. It was only a few minutes.” Ota's slightly higher voice taut and defensive as he's responding clearly to something accusatory from Baba.

“It still seems like unnecessary touching. And what the hell was that calling her your old dog's name?” Baba's voice is almost like a growl.

“Her hair's dark and fluffy,” Ota shrugs. More relaxed but still clearly irritated with Baba. “Besides, it's better for her to be at least a little comfortable with my touch. So we look more like a couple out there. That is part of why you have me here, isn't it? To give you an obvious alibi? She was super standoffish yesterday, and it didn't objectively look right.”

It's a tense silence. I can't have them fighting like that, so I walk out as I'm putting my earrings in. “So I'm thinking Central Park should be where we start today, Ota, how does that sound to you?” My voice is bright, pretending I didn't hear any of that, as I walk over to Baba to give him a good morning kiss. Ota's makeup is complete well enough that I'm glad Baba is still in his pajama pants. 

I make sure the kiss is extra sweet. It's embarrassing to do that in front of Ota, but I haven't to give them both a clear signal of where my affections lay. Baba's smile is gentle when we separate, and I can see that Ota is finishing up his own wig to make sure it looks right. His voice is light as he finally responds, “Sure, we can start here on the south side of it. There are a number of fun places to hit on this side and we can see how far we get.”

Baba's looking a little oddly at me, as he strokes my hair, having not let me go yet. He gives me a final kiss on the forehead. “Should I expect to see you tonight, Baba?” 

His smile is a little sad as he lets me go. “Not terribly early, princess, but I should have a break tomorrow as I wait for a couple things to line up so we can go out ourselves.”

Ota waits by the door, and with a slightly impatient sound asks, “Should we be getting going, _______?”

That sad smile again from Baba with a small gesture letting me know I should go. “Um, yeah, sure Ota.” I place my hand in the crook in Ota's arm, as I have one last look back at my beloved.

“Have fun today, princess. I want to hear all about it.” He's trying to be rather casual given what I heard him saying to Ota earlier.

“I'll tell you every detail, Baba.” 

My heart is a little heavy though as we go out the door and I don't hear more than a murmur of Baba's, “Just don't have too much fun,” as we head off towards the park.

We were in the park until way past sundown and dinner, it was so much fun. Ota had been personable, and his typical teasing manner, but he was opening doors, and generally being a gentleman the whole day. 

I remember Baba crawling into bed with me at one point in the night, but he was already gone again when I woke. It was so lonely for knowing the indentation was my Baba, but it was cold.


	5. Day 4

Conversation as we were leaving in the morning was brief. Ota was looking as himself, and this was the first time I was heading out with him as himself. “I need a break from the makeup,” was all that he had said on the subject matter. His skin was looking a little redder than usual. He left with a backpack of a sketchpad and some pencils and pastels that he hadn't been carrying with him previously. He doesn't really tell me where we're headed, but it's Uptown.

When we get there, the Met is completely overwhelming. Tall at the lobby, giant sections of marble towering over us. I am full of awe as we wander through from exhibit to exhibit. Ota is carrying his supplies under his arm, talking about various points in the exhibit. 

“You know an amazing amount about the European masters, Ota.” It's not clever, but it's the best that I can say. He's really kind of amazing in his element like this. 

“It's kind of required in my line of business. Besides, there's a lot that the Japanese masters did, but in other ways the Europeans really pushed the envelope and there is a lot to learn from them.” I'm not sure I've ever seen Ota this serious before. His sidelong glance catches me looking at him. “Better be careful, you might fall in love with me and then we'd both have to be on the run from Baba.”

“As if,” I snort. Ota's face is a little sour at that. 

He grumbles, “You don't have to be so dismissive.”

Awww, I've unsettled and upset him. Well, he deserves it for all the teasing I've withstood so far, but I don't have to push it. I can leave it there. 

Just then, my stomach grumbles audibly, and a teasing look comes over him again. “Looks like the beast as awakened. Should we get you some meats, Koro?”

I flush and automatically say back, “I'm not a dog, Ota.” A quick glare, and I can see his victorious look that he got a rise out of me. “But I wouldn't mind some lunch.”

He lightly grabs my elbow and leads me in a direction. “There's a café this way in the museum.” He's certainly more commanding than Baba tends to be. And more teasing. But I have to say, I'm not disappointed in this generally more serious side of Ota. I'm actually having fun being with him as I learn about art from him. In a platonic way at least. And he is really familiar with the pieces in this museum.

We grab a quick bite right by a collection of marble statues in a very open part of the museum. I make sure to eat lightly, but satisfyingly enough that I can at least make it to dinner. This is a lot of walking that we've been doing. Conversation is light, but he definitely spends much of lunch scanning the space as I look out at the section of Central Park behind the café.

“How would you feel about modeling for me, _______?” I'm startled by the request. 

“M-me? I'm not a model...”

He waves his hand dismissively and is looking at me rather intensely. “The best models are expressive imperfectly average people like you. It gives me a lot more to work with than any fashion model.” 

I'm really not sure if that's supposed to be a compliment. It sure didn't feel like it. But a famous artist is asking me to model for him. I'm not really sure how I could turn him down. I can see there are other artists around the gallery, sketching as they desire. It's common around here, so I wouldn't be standing out, so I nod shyly. 

We clean up our lunch and head over to this area not far that has this gorgeous illuminated grapevine stained glass window. He places me carefully on a bench near it and positions me at the angle that he wants. I think this is what enthusiasm looks like for Ota.

And he engages me in light conversation. Nothing like his typical teasing. He's asking about what hobbies I do keep myself occupied while Baba tends to be out of town. My favorite TV shows. Not the sort of thing that I would expect. But he's not asking me to stay still, which is what I expected of most artists. 

His hands are moving fast as he's talking to me. Or really, mostly keeping me talking. He's so very serious, and I'm sitting there lightly talking about things that I enjoy. I worry that I'm starting to ramble, and blush a little, but he doesn't even act as if he notices from what I can tell. I'm a little worried about all the people around. There's a tour guide in fact who is frequently looking over at us. But Ota does his best to command my attention and when I look back the tour guide is gone. 

Ota's hands stop moving abruptly, and he is looking from his page to me and back to his page. “I think I'm done for now. I may have some touch ups later, but we can get going now.”

“May I have a look?” I ask, so curious as to what it looks like getting up to walk closer to him. His sketchpad and pastels are closed quickly though. A bit of pastels is smeared on his forehead and sleeve. 

“No, it's not done. It's just a rough piece for now. I'll clean it up later at my studio.” 

The disappointment is clear on my face. It's the first time I've ever been a model; I want to see how it is that he sees me. “Oh,” is all I can say.

“All in good time. Come on, you want to see what the Americans have as representative of Japanese art?” Deflecting, but the conversation is clearly closed at this point.

“Sure, I'm always up for something like that.” And we finish the afternoon around the museum, staying until close. Occasionally, I see that tour guide again in various spots, but he clearly is looking busy.

What I was not expecting at all was being stopped by some random reporter as we left the museum, asking about what Ota had been working on in the museum, and who his model was standing next to him. It was a little disconcerting to see him put on his Angelic Smile for the press, but he was able to smooth things over quickly and not give any information about me. 

The camera flashes were entirely too bright and disorienting though. I'm sure I didn't look good. 

“I'm really sorry they got you on film. You shouldn't have to deal with that trash.” Ota was actually apologetic. 

“Oh, I'm sure it's okay. You told them I wasn't anyone more important than a friend.” His face is completely not as okay with this though. 

“Um, _______, you don't know what fame can be like. I really wish they hadn't been around.” I don't know that I have seen him this uncomfortable. Or apologetic. “I'm really sorry that my going out without a disguise could cause you trouble. New York is usually more chill about this.” He's ushering me quickly down the street now, and I'm having a slightly difficult time keeping up until he hails a cab and shoos me in. “Bryant Park Hotel.”

Conversation is dead until we get back to the hotel and order room service. He's really not talkative the rest of the night, instead eventually disappearing into his room with his backpack.

This can be really lonely sometimes.


	6. Day 5

In the late morning, Baba takes me to a little cafe around the corner from our hotel for brunch. 

“It's really kind of a cute little urban zoo, for all that I'm kind of sad for the close enclosures that some of the animals have to endure.” I'm regaling him with stories of the various animals that I'd seen there. His laugh is so carefree as I tell him about all the different personalities and he is clearly enjoying my light enacting of what each of them were like, especially the sea lions at feeding time. 

“Ota even mentioned that he had spent time there when he lived here, trying to find some new inspiration for something. He says he has a notebook full of sketches he never used for anything though.” 

Quieter. He's still smiling, but looking down at his brunch instead. Ok. No more Ota talk if I can avoid it.

“So anyway, after that we had a brief turn on a carousel. And then hit Tavern on the Green for lunch. Oh! And I saw Strawberry Fields, like that Beatles song. Sat and people watched by a fountain and lake for a while. And Ota took this picture of me with a cute statue before we grabbed dinner on the lake.” He looks happy enough as I show him all the pictures I've taken. There are a few with me in them, mostly of the things I got to see, but I skip over the ones that I took with Ota looking like Baba to placate Sakiko and Chisato who will be asking for a full recap email when I get home.

“And then?”

“And then… he just dropped me off at the hotel. Ota wasn't at the suite for longer than it took for him to pull his makeup off and he headed out to a club, I think. I spent my evening with a book. Then yesterday he ended up taking me to the Met and he told me about a bunch of the exhibits. Though he wasn't in disguise because his skin was having a hard time with it.” Baba looks fidgety at that. 

“Oh?” Is all he says. He's really being quiet. 

“Yeah, Ota had me model for an hour while he sketched me near this stained glass window. We got stopped by a reporter though as we were leaving for dinner, so he rushed me back here. Didn't give them any information about me though and I pretty much ended up eating dinner alone while he locked himself up in his room.”

I smile at him, “I was super happy waking up entangled with you, Baba.” My hand touches his lightly, being as flirty as I can manage. Nothing had happened, but it was still a comfort.

He actually blushes a little at that. Damn, it should be criminal for him to be that cute. His hand rakes awkwardly through his hair as he composes himself again.

“Are you having a good vacation so far, then?”

I'm really not sure how to answer that. “I am… but it's still weird not doing these things with you.”

“I'm sorry, princess. I'll make sure we get back here sometime just the two of us with no work interfering.” His fingers lightly trail along the back of my hand from across the booth. Even such a light touch gets my heart racing a little. 

“It's okay. I know it can't be helped sometimes. But! We have today!”

“Too true!” His smile is so infectious when he gets excited. He claps his hands together and starts, “So where would you like to go today? Have you seen the Empire State Building? Or how about Times Square and Rockefeller Center?”

I kind of jolt at that. “Um, those were both the first day. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, it must have slipped my mind in the middle of the night and we'd already talked about Day One.” I try to smooth it over with him, petting his hand, but there is a definite slight frown on his face. “What about something like one of the other museums? I'm betting we could spend all day in any of them around here, the Met was so impressive, I can't imagine New York doing anything small at this point.”

Well that look is odd. But he smoothes it over with a smile, “Nah, baby, I don't want to be cooped up inside all day. Hmmm. I know, you like amusement parks, right?”

A smile spreads across my face at the suggestion. “Excellent!” he exclaims, clapping his hands eagerly together. “I want to get out of Manhattan anyway today. We're going to take the subway to Coney Island, and I am going to introduce you to some really excellent pizza, bagels, and maybe even a knish if you're lucky.” He quickly pays the bill, and pulls me down the street to the subway, giggling like there had been no awkwardness at all. 

*********************

As soon as we find a spot to sit on the beach, I lay down and splay out like a starfish. “Oh. My. God. I'm stuffed. I don't know that I want to look at food again for a week.”

Baba is laughing quietly, sitting up next to me, his arms on his knees in front of him. His sideways glance makes my heart skip a beat. “I didn't expect you to have THAT much.”

“Hey! You'd talked it up and it tasted so good!” I pouted and leaned up on my elbows. “It tastes so different than back home, I want to try all the things I'm used to AND the things I've never had before.”

“Yeah, I'm just not sure I could keep up with you if you kept up that pace.” His smile is so bright even when he's teasing me. “I'm just lucky there were rides and games in between. It was fabulous to have you grabbing at me like that. So bold.”

I toss a light hit at his hip and he giggles again as he catches my hand. His hair tickles my arm as he leans down to gently kiss the hand he's cradling. Sparks travel from the back of my hand all the way to my face as I blush bright from the simple gesture. That is a very amorous look in his eyes as he looks over at me, and his kisses travel down to my fingertips.

Oh my, I know the feeling of those types of kisses. Public. Can't do this in public, even if the beach is relatively empty in the early autumn chill. “Oh!” I aim to break the mood a little so I'm more comfortable. “Hey, Baba, is that actually the Atlantic Ocean?”

He lets go of my hand for the moment, but his eyes never leave me. “Uh, yeah. Lower Bay, I think actually, but it's likely the closest we will get to open Atlantic Ocean this trip.” I slip off my shoes and rush up to the water line. He calls out to me, “Careful, beautiful, you don't want to fall in.”

“I'll be fine!” I smile back at him. Just then though a slightly more vigorous wave tickles my feet with an “Eeee” and I leap back into the sand again past the water line. Tipping over at my overcorrection though, Baba is right there to catch and right me again. 

His arms are so warm.

I am completely swept away as his lips brush against mine in the slowly dimmer twilight, the lights from the boardwalk keeping us from too much darkness in our lingering kiss. I'm breathless by the time we pause. His gorgeous eyes are heavily lidded. 

This is however part of the tease apparently. Our hands intertwine and I pick up my shoes quickly before we start walking along the shoreline, him standing closer to the water so I don't accidentally almost fall in again. Every sense is heightened and my heart has not calmed down for even a moment. The quiet is companionable, sounds drifting down from the boardwalk to mingle with the gentle waves. But this kind of quiet is unusual for Baba, him looking out a bit towards the darkening horizon. 

“Baba?” I squeeze his hand. “Is everything okay?”

He looks over at me, looking quite distracted. “Hmm?” 

“I asked if everything was okay.”

His smile expands across his face, “Of course, baby.” He kisses my cheek, and I get a sense he's trying to deflect again. This worries me.

“Then whatcha thinking about? You look very pensive.”

He's a little startled by that, but his gaze quickly turns to the lines of my neck. “Just how I wish I could be like this with you always, _______.”

“Oh, wow, that was unexpected.” I smile with a blush, and his face looks lighter. 

“Really? You know you're my moon and stars, don't you?” He pulls me closer and looks down at me.

I reach my free hand to his cheek, and he eyes closed melts into it. “Yes, I know it very well.” We stand like that for a moment. “What brought this up now though? Is it trouble with work?” It's always a little odd to call thieving 'work', but it's the best way I can put it in public, even though everyone is far removed.

After a beat more of that close contact, he pulls back a little to look at me. Like he's thinking about how much to say. “Not… as… such.” He's searching for the right thing. “I just feel… I'd rather have a vacation completely like this instead of having to leave you for work.” 'With Ota' is the unspoken part though, as I can feel his hand is a little tighter with its grip.

“I do too.” It's simple. I do miss him when he's gone. Fear starts to grow in my heart though. “Was it a mistake for me to come with you?” 

“Noooo. No no no no, love. I'm always grateful when you are with me. Always.” His look bores into me, willing me to be certain that he is talking truth to me. A part of me softens at that declaration. “Actually, it has been delightful to have you there in the evenings. And I am feeling guilty for wanting to drag you all over the world with me. I know how much you don't want to be involved with my… work.”

Ah. That would be complicated. What can I say to him to soothe him when he is clearly burdened with this? He's right about that at least. But he continues. “I'm also thinking about how much longer I can keep… employed in this line of work.”

Not being a thief? He's talented at so many things I'm sure he could do whatever he wanted, but would he love it as much as he does now? “Are you thinking you don't want to train someone to take over after you?”

His hand is caressing mine as he talks through this. “That's part of it. There's also the fact that I really… Really… want a family with you. And this line of work is dangerous. I don't want to abandon you. Intentionally or not. Wherever I am, I couldn't take it if I were gone and our child ended up...” An orphan. He can't say it though. “Especially if we have that baseball team I want.” His quip lighten up his face as he grins, but I can tell this is weighing heavy on him.

I choose my words carefully. “I don't want you to be unhappy in anything, Baba. Your current line of work, choosing to do something else, it doesn't matter to me, I will support you regardless.” At the last I squeeze his hand again. 

His hand caresses my cheek as he whispers, “I know, baby.” A breeze tousles my hair as the moment seems to stand still right there. “I'm not getting any younger though. And for the first time in my life, I'm having to really think about someone else. I want to take care of you. And how do I make enough money to keep you in the manner to which you've become accustomed,” the grin on his face is wry, “without ever having to leave you again for more than a few hours a day baby.”

I'm not really sure what to say to that. As the atmosphere gets heavier with the concern though, I realize I have to lighten the mood for him. “Bungee jump instructor.” I suggest.

The idea clearly confuses him. So I elaborate, “You only have to work in daylight, you get to deal with a ton of people, and you get an adrenaline rush much like your work has now while focusing complete on safety.”

I'm not serious, but he is completely nonplussed by the idea. “What? It's a thought. I know you're good with heights at least.” And with that, Baba busts out with the biggest gale of laughter I have seen in a while, sweeping me into his arms and squeezing me tight. 

I can't breathe, but he lets me go relatively quickly, and I'm heady with the expression of love. “Oh, _______, you never fail to surprise me. Ever.” His hot breath is in contrast to the cool breeze as it stirs my hair. Finally, the mood seems to be lifted.

“I learned how to dance on my toes because of you.”

He chuckles, and moves one hand to the small of my back, “Oh baby, you have no idea what you do to me.” One hand is holding mine, having dropped my shoes right there, as he starts to sing to me in English. “Some day, when I'm awfully low  
When the world is cold...” He gazes down at me so tenderly.

“I will feel a glow just thinking of you  
And the way you look tonight...” 

We are swaying as he serenades me on the beach with one of his favorite musical artists. If I could bottle this night and keep it with me forever, I would. His warm breath against my ear as he sings to me keeps me so warm for the rest of our time near the rapidly chilling ocean until we can head back to our hotel and continue what we couldn't in public.


	7. Day 6

Today has been all about the shopping, as I had told Baba I thought it would be the plan for today last night. Baba had left me a credit card, since he was already gone when I woke. A card with my name on it. And a note saying, “Get whatever you want today. Do NOT worry about the cost. And make sure at least one of them is some sexy number you'll wear for only me, but don't let Ota see it. I want a private showing later. （＾з＾）－☆Chu！”. 

I'm still giggling and shaking my head over that note. 

We'd already dropped off one set of bags at the hotel once I had gotten bored with 5th Avenue. There was a level to which it wasn't that different than most of the stores at the Tres Spades. And while they were all good quality, I was looking for something more… unique. 

That was when Ota suggested that we head to the East Village. 

“I can't believe I managed to score a mint condition original printing Frank Sinatra vinyl record for Baba. He's going to LOVE it. Thank you for suggesting here, Ota.” I can barely contain my squee, and he's chuckling at me as we enter the bar to grab a bite.

“You certainly know Baba's tastes. He has you trained well.” He's smiling at me. A compliment with just a light tease. He's been getting softer as we have been spending time together, and I can feel him not far from me in our little private booth. 

He's so smooth when he orders the bottle of wine and an hors d'oeuvres platter for us. He almost sounds native with his English. His mannerisms are even looking more like Baba's the more I see both of them on this trip in such a concentrated fashion, unlike at home. It's a refined grace of movement that they both have, though Ota might be a little more predatory in style. 

The music in the background is a gentle and refined Spanish sounding classical guitar. It sounds live, but I can't see anyone. “It's hard not to, he's always singing Sinatra when we go driving.” I leave out the times he puts on music for our nights together, but I suspect the blush tells Ota enough.

“You're just so… thoughtful though.” That is definitely an odd look in his eye when he's looking at me. “Baba is a very lucky man to have a woman as thoughtful as you, _______.” There's a light clinking as he toys with his glass of wine, not looking at me when he says that. And when he looks up at me, the desire is so clear, my heart skips a beat. 

This is Ota. Not Baba. Ota. Looks like Baba. But Ota.

I perhaps am drinking my wine a little too fast, but it's better than him seeing that I caught such a naked look from him. 

“He makes it so easy with all that he does for me though.”

“Doesn't it get lonely with him gone so much though? I mean, he's even barely seen you this trip so far.” I top off my wine again, trying to cover for the awkwardness I'm feeling.

“That's not true! We spent all of yesterday together at Coney Island! And...” I'm getting perilously close to bragging about things I should not be bragging, so I trail off. Like I could have said and I've been snuggled up to him every night. Or at least part of the night. 

These pauses in conversation may kill me. 

“I've been with you four out of five days though, _______.” As if that could tell me everything. We're interrupted as our food is delivered, but it only gives me a brief reprieve. We eat for a few moments, but I'm having a hard time enjoying the flavors like I usually do.

His fingers push my hair behind my ear so gently, my heart starts beating so fast. “Have I not been treating you like the princess Baba calls you?”

I don't even know how to respond to that. “I-I have n-no complaints.” This bottle of wine is going really kind of quickly and I'm certain I am blushing past my hairline. 

He gets much closer, brushing the hair past my other ear, and leans in to whisper, “Wouldn't it be better to have someone who could be around for you far more often. You look so lonely sometimes. I could help.” His voice is so hot on my ear, I can't even move. “I don't have to take you away from him at all. Just fill in the gaps when you're lonely. It's no fun to be lonely.”

My breathing is so erratic at this vision of Baba telling me exactly what I want to hear. He understands, and wants to be there for me. Suddenly his lips are on mine. They are so commanding. Demanding. I'm so lightheaded I melt. 

Until I come back to my senses in the silence. The feeling that all of the eyes in the restaurant are looking at us. This is not Baba. 

I push him away. There might have been a moment of hurt in his eyes. Or I might have imagined it because the smirk on his face is cruel. I have to stand up for myself though. Myself and Baba. There's a loud crack as I slap him across the face. “You've gone overboard. Ota.” I reassert that I know what's what in the world. 

There's a big wall that slams up with that, and I feel like I have breathing room again. “I'm not so desperate that I need something like that. I was just offering you an option. You get so whiny when he's gone for long times.” His voice is cutting and reestablishes the norms in our relationship. 

I slam down the last glass of wine before saying to him, “I think it's best you take me back to the suite and then leave me alone for a while.”

His look is cold when he finally says, “Fine. By. Me.” We leave and walk the entire way back to the hotel in order to burn off some of the adrenaline. I'm stone cold sober by the time we get back. 

*********************

I could tell when I got back to the suite with Ota, Baba was already in a foul mood. It was so rare to see him like this, I'm not really sure what to do. I wasn't even expecting him to be back by now tonight. Feeling the vibe, Ota takes off his disguise as fast as possible, and I don't think I'd ever seen someone try to bolt out the door fast enough. Baba stops him though, with a growl.

“Today was not even remotely okay, Ota.”

“I don't even know what you're talking about, Baba.” He's going to try to play it off. I don't think it's going to work as I blush at the accusation.

I didn't even know Baba could snarl like this, “I saw you two. In the restaurant. With you taking advantage of _______.”

Ota's eyes are wide and has his hands up to the shockingly darkly voiced Baba. “Look man, that will not happen again. I will get out of your guys' hair tonight and tomorrow at least. You let me know when you want me around again, and I will be there. Until then, I'll be at my studio.” The look in Baba's eyes is fiery and dangerous. Ota flees and I can see Baba's eyes turn towards me as the door to our suite closes. 

There is a hurt vulnerability behind that fire. And I did that to him. He stalks his way right to me, and I feel him grab the hair at the base of my neck. I never thought “violent tenderness” could be a phrase, but if anybody could embody that, it would be Baba at that moment. 

His voice is like the rumble in a thunderstorm. “Do you have any idea how much my heart was breaking when I saw you kissing him today at the café? Why do you let your guard down so much with other men?”

I could not keep the tears from starting to fall. “I love you so much, Baba. I…. I was confused. He was enough like you for a moment….” 

His lips take mine, aggressive and devouring. I couldn't have moved my head if I wanted, his grip so strong my head can only be where he wants it to be. I'm drowning in his onslaught, and I want to. His teeth start ravaging my shoulder and my knees buckle to him. “I slapped him though. Once I broke through the boozy haze.” I can at least try to defend myself.

It doesn't even seem like he heard me there. Or he didn't care for my defense.

“How many places do I have to reclaim? Can I even make you solely mine again?” He rasps against my skin. My chest is so tight with wanting to prove to him he is the only one for me, it made me bold. My hands move on their own, tearing apart his belt, opening his pants so I can free him and give him as much pleasure as I can manage. The moment his boxers are free, I feel his grip on my hair loosen and I kneel down to take him in my mouth as quickly as I can. 

Gradually, I work my way down his shaft, bit by bit with each stroke until I have taken the limit of what I can swallow and stay still for a moment. Lightly I tease him with my tongue captured like that, my hand closing the rest of the length and he gasps. When I pull back to the point where he could plunge into me again, I look up again, “You're the only one, Baba, the only one I would do this for. Ever.” I'm fairly certain there are tears in his eyes. 

His hands are rough and entangled in my hair as he fucks my mouth slowly. I do my best to accommodate. He's careful but clearly having his way with me. Every grunt and groan is visceral as his rigid cock slides in and out, tickling the back of my throat. 

I don't fully taste him though; instead he withdraws and picks me up to carry me to the bedroom. He tosses me onto the mattress before he dives to my core, drinking me in like a man thirsty in the dessert, kissing there like he is expecting a fight that he intends to win. Before I know it, he slides in two fingers and curls them in a teasing rhythm, tickling me, but I gasp and clutch at his hair. He shakes his head to get me to let go, so I grab at the bed instead, and he presses to three fingers within me as he sucks hard on my clit. The feeling is too intense, making me shake until I'm crying out something beyond even his name could convey. 

As I try to catch my breath, I feel his weight on top of me, a new sensation at the entrance to my pussy. He's above me in the most driving position he can manage, holding the nape of my neck as he looks in my eyes, driving himself home. I can't turn away from his eyes, trying to convey just how much I love him with every thrust. I never would have kissed Ota if he hadn't looked like Baba. He has to know that, right? His cock fills me like nothing else ever could.

I try so hard to keep looking at him as he loses himself in the rhythm. It's clear his eyes had rolled back into his head during parts of his relentlessness. But when it comes to the end, his eyes bore into mine as hard as he rams me, making sure there is no possible part of me un-rewritten while he cums. I lost count of the number of my orgasms. 

Panting and sweaty, we cling to each other. There are tears in his eyes as he buries his face in my hair.   
I pet his hair and try to be as steady as I can be. “How could you…?” his question is muffled, but my heart breaks to hear him like this. 

I close my eyes, and try to collect my thoughts. When I have, I look back at him hoping to look him straight in the eyes, but he keeps his face hidden. “I think we got to him that he needed to treat women well. Between the wine and him looking like you and he was being so kind, I had a moment of confusion. I promise, there is no one other than you, Baba. It won't happen again.”

“Then why won't you call me by my first name?” The question tore from his throat as he wouldn't look at me. This was clearly sitting at the back of his mind for much longer than this mistake.

“I can't call you any of the names those other women call you. Your friends call you Baba. Not Michan, not Miichi, it's too much. I-I can't be just another one of them.” His hair is so soft. I lift a lock and kiss it.

Now he looks directly at me, his eyes red. “Come up with something else then. If you tell me, I will answer to it. Something that is only you, _______-beloved. You mean so much more…” His voice cracks and I melt at his imploring. 

“Mitsu?” I whisper. There's a relaxation I can feel in him at my calling him the sweet part of his name.

“So long as you never call someone else that, I can know you're mine.” His caresses are gentle and firm, like he's still trying to reconfirm my existence in front of him. 

“I could never call another person that even if we were separated forever.” I stroke his hair trying to sooth the storm that is clearly raging in him. He hugs me tighter with a final nuzzle before he settles in. 

“I love you, _______.”

“I love you, Mitsu.” Sleep finally claims our wrung out selves in the midst of our light kisses.


	8. Day 7

Baba stayed with me the whole next day in the suite. We ordered room service, we watched a couple movies, we bathed together, we mostly didn't leave the bed unless we absolutely had to. When we actually tried to talk though, it was still a little stilted though, and my heart ached. Even giving him the record I found for him garnered a brief interlude of joy and singing, but once that was over, it was awkward in the pauses between conversations.

After dinner, when he goes to place the dishes outside the room, I hear him on the phone. He's talking low and I can't make out what he's saying, but I see that he is buttoning up a shirt. I watch until he's done with his call. 

His face is rather determined looking, and I wonder what that was about. “Everything ok, M-Mitsu?” He looks over at me, and his face smoothes into smooth talker Baba.

“Oh, yeah, _______. Yeah, it's fine. Hey, I have a couple things I need to take care of, so I'm going to need to go out.” He closes the gap between us and cups my face with his large hand. “Will you be okay here by yourself for a while, princess?” 

I close my eyes and nuzzle against his hand. “Sure. But are you sure I can't go with you?” He freezes a second, but goes back to a caress.

“Yeah, baby, it's just a couple of things so I can push up the time table and get back to spending my time with you. It won't be long.” His fingers trail down my neck to my shoulder, and I bite back my disappointment in him going again with a smile. 

“I thought you had the day picked out and everything.” 

He shrugs, “There are other days that will be good enough, and I already have most of the information and set up I need to be able to collect.”

But if he has all that taken care of… “Then why are you going out?”

“Told you, just a couple things that I need to handle. Now,” he kisses me on my forehead, “be a good girl for me, and don't wait up, okay? I'll be back soon.” I look at him, his smile a little sad, and reach up to kiss him gently.

“I'll be good. Good luck.”

“Good luck for who?” He's teasing. Maybe things are getting back to normal?

I giggle, still uncomfortable using his name, but he clearly wants to hear it. “Good luck, Mitsu.” He just beams at that. 

“With a kiss from a princess I can do anything, don't you know that?” His kiss is firm and lingering. And then suddenly, he's gone.


	9. Day 8

Baba never came back last night. There was a text from him that he sent at 3am when you woke that morning. It only said, “Remember, be a good girl. <3” I text back immediately, “Of course. Love you, M.” After a couple minutes though, there's no response, so I get up to brew some coffee.

I most certainly was not expecting a certain blond head to wander in from his room bleary eyed and grumpy. I yelped in surprise.

“Now, is that how you are to greet your guardian for the day?” I'd been sleeping later than him in the past, but he definitely is coming across as grumpy first thing in the morning. 

But. Ack. I can't be alone with him. I back up and start to turn to flee “Hey,” he quickly closes the gap and grabs my arm, “Hey, wait a minute, I need to talk to you.” I freeze. “Just, give me a minute, ok?” 

I give a quick nod, and he lets go. “I talked to Baba, and he told me to make sure I was here when you got up.” He does not look like he's thrilled to be here, and I'm fairly certain my confusion was clear upon my face. “No more disguises for me. But I'm still to be your babysitter.”

All I can do is blink. He'd said he had to go take care of a few things. Was that one of them then? But why isn't he back?

“Fuck, _______, say something.” Exasperation dripped off him. 

“How do I know I can trust you?” I'm so very wary of this, that this is all I can croak out.

He smirks. He's not even sorry. “The fact that I know Baba texted for you to be a good girl around 3am this morning. And the knowledge that he is the most dangerous out of any of the managers.” Well that at least proves he talked to Baba. 

I shift uncomfortably, not really wanting to look at him. “It's not like that stopped you before.”

“It's not like he hasn't made an exception for me and shared in the past,” he retorted. “But things are… clear to me now, and so I'm strictly tour guide and bodyguard today.” 

Now all I can do is stare at him. Leaning against the counter, eyebrow raised, arms crossed, the challenge is quite evident. Did he really just say that? Does that mean what I think it does? How do I even react to that? He is absently rubbing his left elbow with just a hitch between his eyebrows though, and I have to wonder how things were made clear.

His eyes roll; I can only imagine it's at the look on my face. “Look. You came here to see New York, right? So where is it that you want to go today?”

I eye him warily, but think for a moment. There's been a lot of attractions, and things that are easy to know. But what about just bumming around? I've kind of run out of ideas, and in theory Ota knows New York. It won't all be like Fifth Avenue which is too much like Tres Spades for my comfort, and the edgy West Village. And I have to have SOME way to normalize the interactions or today is going to be utterly horrendous. “What's an area that I haven't thought of that you know well that you could show me around? An area with a lot of galleries maybe?”

He directs me back to my room with his chin. “If that's what you want. Go get ready. We'll leave shortly.” 

*********************

To my surprise, we hop on the subway and just over the river to Brooklyn. It looks a little like Greenwich Village, but I'm in awe of all the murals and graffiti; it seems somewhere between more colorful and more run down. I'm not used to seeing this level of embellishment and with such a range in quality on the actual architecture.

I haven't let my guard down, but it's at least pleasant as Ota is keeping a polite distance away from me now. It's weird, Ota isn't even teasing me. Really weird. But I guess he certainly knows who all the current artists that are being shown around here are, and I listen to him tell me not only who they are and where they got their inspirations, but also his critiques of their work. He's not even straying into personal commentary about the artists, which surprises me. 

At the boutiques I pick up a couple of new things, a scarf, a small print of a piece I particularly liked. The bag sits on the side of the table at the cafe we have stopped at for a late lunch.

I'm looking over the menu when the waiter comes by for our drink order. I was perusing the wines, but Ota speaks up, “Two iced cappuccinos,” and the waiter walks away. Before I can even say something to him, he answers, “No more alcohol when it's just us.” Oh.

Oh.

He actually looks a little uncomfortable as he says that.

“I-I wish you would have told me before. I was hoping to practice my English a little more.” I've been practicing plenty as we've been walking around these days, but I can tell I still have issues. 

“You could have during our walking around. Or even right there.” He changes into English, “If you want, we can just converse in English the rest of the day.” It's still always impressive the lack of accent he seems to have in comparison to the rest of the people in New York when he does that. 

Wait. Can't get starry eyed over any little thing. The truth is, my heart aches for him a little, but only because I can see between the cracks that he's feeling awkward as well. If I could return his feelings, it might have been a different conversation, and I had no idea it was more than a joke before this trip. 

“I… appreciate that.” It still takes me time to figure out what to say. But he gives a small smile to that.

“Do you want me to give pointers as we talk?”

I think back to a time when Baba was trying to help me practice through kisses and trying to position my mouth appropriately. “Ummm….” I feel hotter than the sun at the thought.

Ota sticks his tongue out at me and follows it with his hands up, “_______, I don't know what you're thinking about, but whatever it is I'm sure that's not what I was intending. Pervert.”

Which of course only makes me blush harder. “I'm not a pervert.” Which, in my haste, was still in Japanese.

I wish I didn't give him openings like that. It only produced that evil smile on his face. “No, no, no, you want to say that in English. I'm not a pervert. Like you.” Which of course only provokes me. To anyone else around us, it sounds like he's calling me the pervert, when that isn't true. I can at least tell that much.

“Stop making me sound like a pervert.” He is totally laughing at me. 

“Now if you want to say that with less accent, you need to move your lips, jaw, and teeth more than you're doing right now. Now repeat after me. Per-vert.”

“I cannot believe I am having this conversation with you.” If I could crawl into a hole and die right now, I would. “Can you at least find a different phrase to help me practice?”

Even the waiter has a smirk on his face when he brings the iced cappuccinos. “Can I take your orders?”

Crap. I haven't even thought of what I want. Ota is clearly waiting for me to say what it is I want. I'm not going to let him translate for me though. I scan quickly so I can carefully ask, “A salmon crepe, please?” The waiter was at least able to understand me.

“I'll have the croque monsieur.” He hands over the menu so gracefully. And with the ordering, our conversation seems to have died.

He knows what happened before, and still he's trying to draw me out. “Come on, is there at least some English that you want to practice? You were eager before. And you never react so weirdly to my teasing.”

“I'm… I-I'm not s-sure how… I-I…” I don't even know what to say, I'm stuttering at him. 

“I'm sorry about before.” The look in his eyes is so… bare. He's clearly as uncomfortable as I am, his gaze shifting before settling somewhere down and to the left of my eyes. “Look, things will be taken care of shortly. Today is probably the last day that you're going to have to put up with me until the flight home. A-and I'm only here because Baba asked me to. So you weren't stuck at the hotel. The least you can do is help me make this not so weird. Ok?”

Taken care of shortly? So Baba is going to do the retrieval today? But I can't ask about that here. Damn. I ball my fist up for a moment and look at Ota rather helplessly.

I whisper, “Is he ready?”

Ota looks at my hand, and offers me just the briefest of brushes of his own hand as comfort. “I think so. If all goes right, I'll be checking a locker near here at 11pm. So just a few more hours you have to deal with it. That's all I know though.” It doesn't make it any easier knowing that things are happening tonight. 

“Thank you, Ota.” I stand up, “I'm going to the ladies room. I'll be right back.” I rush off to the bathroom to try to collect myself for all the complicated things of this lunch. 

The room is cool with the breeze from the slightly open window. And when I am looking down to wash my hands, just to make sure I'm ready for my lunch, I'm grabbed and all the sudden everything goes dark and I have some trouble breathing. I struggle as much as I can, but after a bit, everything goes black and I don't remember anything more for a while.

*********************

The first thing I notice is my head is pounding. My throat feels like it's on fire, both inside and out. And then the nausea with the constant feeling of movement. I so very much wish I were still out at the moment. 

It's definitely dark out from what I can see. There is a guy with his back to me on the phone. 

“Yes, she likely will be waking up soon. It was clear she doesn't speak much English though.”

Oh, they think because my accent is thick I can't understand. I mean, I'm not perfect at it, but… 

“The ransom was sent to Mr Kisaki an hour ago. We've given him until midnight to agree to the project, or his girlfriend will be tossed in the bay.”

Ota? They've ransomed me off to Ota? For a *project*? And that's not long after he's supposed to pick up whatever it is he's getting the hand off from Baba. Can't they just purchase his time? The world sways a little more dramatically and I curl up more into a ball. Oh, I am bruised on that side.

“Yes, the location is by the marina. You can do the pick up, right?”

The man is dressed in a blazer and jeans; I can tell it's well cut and good fabric, but something about the pattern seems garish. He's nervously fidgeting with something in his jacket pocket while he's waiting for a response.

“Make sure it happens. I'll be waiting for news. Later.”

He's off the phone and I make sure my eyes are closed. My breathing isn't all that even because of the pain and nausea, but I keep it as even as I think sleep would have me. My kidnapper closes the door, leaving me laying there on the bed. The loud after thunk tells me he must have locked me in. 

There's a gentle swaying. Am I on a boat? I open my eyes again to look around, and after a moment, my vision stops swimming. The cramped style says that's more likely than some apartment. There's definitely night sky out the strange shaped window. I don't see any buildings though, so maybe boat is right. 

Thankfully, they don't seem to have tied me up. I gently get up to look outside, and if it's not a boat I'm on, it's something on the water. There won't be any getting out that way. I don't think I'd be in good enough shape to try swimming away anyway. Maybe it's some kind of yacht; that's the only way I can imagine it would be big enough 

I sit back on the bed, and gingerly put my head in my hands. Oh please Baba, Ota, someone, please save me. 

*********************

I'm not sure how much time passes, but I have to guess it's a couple of hours. How close are we to midnight now? I can't tell, and it's not like there's any indication in here. I'd been checked on a couple of times, but it was irregular enough that I can't try to make up a time interval for it. But my stomach growls loudly; oh, yeah, I didn't even manage lunch today. At least the nausea is less, but it must be far past dinner. 

Waves lapping against the boat get a little louder, and I feel the sway. I look out though, and don't see anything. No storm, nothing that would seem to cause the rocking. 

I hear the man's footsteps above me. I can only imagine that he's pacing from the pattern. I wonder if that means it should be soon. My heart is beating so fast I worry that I'll pass out.

And then I hear a scratching. I look around and out the window, I see a hat that looks familiar, as he is focused bringing some kind of cutting tool repeatedly to the same part of the window. I let out a squeak. Baba's eyes go wide. He puts a finger to his lips and then quickly ducks down as I hear the steps move quickly to the room I'm being kept in. 

The door flings open. “What's going on in here?” I look at him wide eyed startled. He's clearly sweating. “I see you're awake finally.”

Oh god, what can I do here? I pretend to not quite understand what he's saying, putting on the best confused look I can manage. His hair is thinning, his face sharp looking behind his glasses. He's clearly nervous.

My kidnapper comes right over to the bed and leans in toward me. The smell of tobacco is overwhelming from him. A finger traces my jaw line, and all I can do is tremble. There's no mistaking that. “Bruises aside, you're very pretty. I hope your boyfriend is smart enough to listen to my demands. It would have been smarter if he had accepted my commission in the first place.”

That?!? That's why this guy kidnapped me? Because Ota turned down a commission from this creep?

“I always get what I want. You understand that much, right?” I have to play for time, knowing that Baba is out there. He'll save me. So, I slowly nod. “If I don't get confirmation that he has agreed in the next ten minutes, I don't think things are going to look terribly good for you.” His finger is slowly trailing down my neck and shoulder. There is a lump in my throat, and I can't help it, I start shaking, a tear falling from my eye. 

He laughs. He leans back and grabs a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket. When his jacket is open, I see that there's a hand gun holstered near his armpit. He steps outside of the room, I assume to have a smoke. When the door clicks shut, tears start falling from my closed eyes. Baba doesn't use violence; what if he gets caught? He can't defend against a gun.

I'm quietly crying there, when I hear another soft click. Has ten minutes gone by already?

When I open my eyes, Baba is kneeling there with a rose outstretched toward me, his finger to his lips. I nod; my heart is going to leap out of my chest. The guy is just out there. His lips are on mine swift and deep, breaking off before I even realize what has happened.

Turning around, Baba brings a knife out again and he starts working to score the window. Oh! Is that how he's going to get us out? He has a hand suction cupped on it as well. He is focused and quick, trying to be quiet as he cuts at the plexiglass. Before I know it, a quiet thunk and he's pulling the window out. 

He takes the top of the bedding, and covers the edges. “It's likely sharp,” he explains, “I'll help you out and then follow, okay, baby?” 

Not trusting my voice for how sore it is, I nod again. There has to be some way this is going to work. His smile is brilliant, and I feel calm again. He boosts me out, and there to catch me into the speedboat parked along side is Ota. 

Ota lets go quick as he can after he makes sure I'm stable. 

I can hear the door open again from below and suddenly there's shouting. Ota starts the boat up again with a roar. Baba tips his hat, and scrambles out the window into the boat. As soon as he's in, the three of us are speeding out of there fast as Ota can drive the boat. Gunshots ring out, but we're already too far for the kidnapper's handgun I guess. Baba sits and gathers me into his lap and I cling to him tight as can be.

I'm safe again.

He holds me so gently cradling my head to his chest. A soft rhythm from his hands stroke my back to soothe me as I relax into his arms, still clutching on to the rose. “You're okay now, baby, we're going to get going for now,” he murmurs. “I promise I'll take you on a proper vacation, just the two of us, soon.”

I see the Statue of Liberty lit up to the right as we speed out into the night. This was not how I expected to see that attraction up close. Everywhere aches, so I just fall asleep right there listening to his murmuring.

*********************

I don't wake again until we are pulling in to dock. The golden lights are bright beyond the marina, but it doesn't seem like it's a staffed marina. Where are we? This does not look like New York.

Baba lightly lifts me and places me back in the seat, then he takes some rope to tie up the boat. His jacket is somehow covering my shoulders; I wrap it tighter around me in the uncertainty. Baba hops out onto the dock and extends a hand to help me out of the boat. I wince as I feel the ache of the bruises up and down my leg. Nothing passes Baba's eye as I see him frown. 

Ota has lifted up a seat, revealing the storage containing all our luggage. He passes it up to Baba before closing things up and scrambling out of the boat himself. Baba looks at the luggage, then at me, then at the luggage again. It's clearly too much. “I'm sorry you're hurt, princess. But we need to get to that hotel so if you can make it just a little bit to it with your luggage, that would be good.”

I put a fragile smile on my face; I croak, “I can manage. Where are we?”

“Atlantic City,” Ota volunteers, there's a frown on his face too. “Eisuke said that we should be able to fly out of Philadelphia in a couple days if we can lay low; the plane will arrive by then.”

I am so confused, but nod, grabbing the handle of my luggage. Baba and Ota heft the rest of the luggage, and we climb towards the golden lights.

I'm so weary, I don't notice much of our trek or check in. But next thing I know, we are in a suite in this older casino. Well, at least it's a comforting atmosphere these days. 

Baba tosses his hat down on the table, and turns around to pull the luggage away from me. He's finally getting a chance to look at me in the light of the hotel room.

His eyes are sad as he takes in the state I'm in, lightly caressing my throat. “Princess, what on earth happened to you?”

Ota flops down on the couch, intent on listening. He looks worried as well, but does not look to be saying anything.

I look carefully at the mirror right there and I am a complete mess. A thin red line is all around my throat. “I had just gone to wash up while Ota and I were at lunch. While there though, I'm… I'm not sure quite what happened. Things went dark, I had trouble breathing… I struggled against someone, and then… I don't know. Next thing I remember I was on that boat. How did you guys find me?”

Ota and Baba exchange a glance. Ota speaks up first, “It was easy to figure out who it was after I got the ransom email. I'd been approached a couple days ago by this investment broker for a commission. He was very not thrilled when I told him I just didn't have time in my schedule. I thought that was it.”

“Turns out,” Baba picks up the story, “It was the 'owner' of the… artifact I was after on this trip as well. Ota called me immediately, and I had just finished retrieving it. Knowing his name, it was easy to track down his registered boat. The rest,” he smiles, “Is just my talent.” 

He. Is. Amazing. “Should I even ask where you got the boat?”

“It's mine,” Ota breezily says. *blink*

“Should we worry about being found by it?”

“Not for now at least. He's not going to have an idea where we headed to at least. I have to sell it tomorrow, but we can be okay tonight. Baba, should I take a look at it now?”

Baba looks a little startled by the request. “Huh? Oh, in a few,” he mumbles. More clearly to me, “_______, are you hungry? Ota mentioned you hadn't even gotten to eat lunch.” A little line creases between his eyes as he looks on at me with concern. I nod.

He walks over to the room phone with Ota joining him. A couple murmurs later, Baba places an order to be delivered asap. Baba strides back over to the luggage and pulls out a long thin box. The logo on it looks familiar. “Is that from the Met?”

All Baba does is smile, and hand it over to Ota. When Ota opens the box, this exceptionally ornate rod decorated with jewels is taken out. Ota picks it up looking at it from this direction and that. Suddenly he seems to find what he was looking for. “Yup, this is 100% authentic. See that?” he points to something that looks like a flaw. “That's the royal maker's mark for that era. Eisuke will be pleased.”

Baba claps his hands, almost giddy for the moment. “Excellent. _______, you are looking at one of sceptres from the British Crown Jewels. It has been in illegal hands for about 50 years. Until now.”

Wait, how does that work? “How could it be lost if you got it from the Met?”

“Forged documentation saying that he had bought it legitimately. It's been in storage for a while. That guy just bought the rights to it recently.” He gingerly takes it from Ota's hands and places it back in the box to stow away before the food arrives. 

A thought dawns on me, “Is that why you didn't want to go to the Met with me?”

“Yup, I had reconnaissance I had to do that was way too complicated to involve you, Princess. Though I did see Ota sketching you that day. It's a good piece, Ota, if you still have it at your studio, I'll have to purchase it from you.” My head is hurting again. 

“When it's done. But it'll be a while given that I'm not going to want to head back to New York for a little while. You may be broken up by then.” Ota, has an evil glimmer in his eye, but Baba just smiles right back in a way that if it were directed at me would be chilling. I don't know that I've ever seen him smile like that before.

“Well, at least I know it won't be you stealing her away, Ota.” I'm sure the questions are all over my face. “We have an understanding.”

At that, there's a knock on the door when the food arrives. After that, talk turns to inconsequential things. Mostly Ota and Baba bantering. I let the sound of their conversation comfort me as I quietly eat. My head gets heavier as my stomach gets fuller. I don't taste much that night and fall asleep shortly after I'm satiated.


	10. Day 9

When I wake the next morning, I'm feeling somewhat better. My head doesn't hurt, though my throat is tender. I can feel Baba's arms tight around my ribcage, the arm on his hair tickling my skin. His breath is warm across my ear. I don't think it's possible for him to hold me any closer outside of making love. 

We are naked though. He must have undressed me when he carried me to bed. 

“Good morning, baby.” I love the sound of his whisper in my ear. 

“Mmmmmm… morning, Ba…. Mitsu.” I can feel him smile into my hair as he squeezes me. So warm and comfortable and safe here; I love being held by him.

“Good girl,” he purrs. His embrace relaxes as he lets his fingers trail up and down on my belly. “How are you feeling?”

“Ticklish,” I giggle, squirming until I turn around to face him and throw my arms around his neck. His eyes are sad as he looks at my own neck. Looking at the bruising again, I bet. “I'll heal, sweetie. My side doesn't hurt like it did last night. And my voice doesn't feel hoarse anymore at least.”

His tender smile lights up my world, even when he's looking sad like that. “We can fix that, you know.” It takes me a second, and all I can do is laugh in delight at his very Baba-esque suggestion. It feels like maybe we are getting back to normal again. He brings his lips to mine with the most gentle of nibbling kisses. I can feel his hardness against my thigh and blush a little as he moves to kiss my neck. 

Ripples of desire echo through me at his electrifying want. But, “Oh, Mitsu, please can I bathe first? There was so much yesterday...”

“Sure,” he says in between kisses, but he doesn't let me go. “I'll join you.”

It's always uncomfortable when he makes this suggestion; I don't know that I will ever get used to it. “Um, I think I can handle it myself...”

He pulls back to look at me. And with a determined look barely covering up a grin of his, “Nope! I need to service my Princess in all ways, and that includes making sure she is clean all over.”

I can feel the nervousness rise within me. “You just want an excuse to look at me all naked and embarrass me.”

His look turns serious for a second, “See all of you naked, yes. Embarrass you, no. Baby, I just want to see with my own eyes that you really are okay.”

My eyes widen with shock. “O-okay.” He leaps up and swoops me into his arms princess style to carry me to the bathroom. “You know I can walk myself...”

“Service you. In,” his nose brushes mine as his smile brightens. “All.” He squeezes me to his chest in his hold. “Things.”

He doesn't even have to look away to open the door to the bathroom. It's not until he's turning on the shower to make sure it's the right temperature that I even notice once again that my love has a mighty fine rear.

He looks over his shoulder back at me to see me admiring him, and gives a little wiggle. Which has me giggling again; I love his playfulness. It just shows me how comfortable we are together. I hope I can be with him forever. I notice that he has his own bruising on his side. There's a cut on his left shoulder that looks a couple days old. How did I not even notice that before. Just as he stands up, I trace my finger along the cut. He quickly turns around at my touch, rasping, “Feels ready.” He holds the curtain open for me to get in. As I do so he follows in right behind me. 

His lips are hot against mine as he presses me up against the cool tile. All reason leaves me when he kisses me like that. I feel like it's been weeks since we have kissed like this, even though it's been only a couple days. When both out breaths are ragged, he pulls back, a heavy lidded look in his eye. Every damned move of his is sexy. I try to reach up to kiss him again; he smiles and reaches around to grab a cloth and squirt some body wash into it.

He's caught his breath again and his gaze is worshipful, his smile playful. Passion already ignited within me, the slow circular passes of the soapy wash cloth along my body is mere teasing to fan it higher. Some back part of my brain can tell where I'm bruised by the way he's even gentler with his soapy caresses. He highlights all my curves. 

Soon as my front is lathered up, he is against me kissing me again. He presses me so close to him, he is slipping against me as his hands roam slick against my back with the soft cloth. Every pass it's like his chest is caressing my whole torso and I have a hard time telling which direction feeling is coming from, I am so encompassed in sensitivity. My tiny hands pet up and down his lower back. I can feel his erection press against the space between my thighs. He grinds a little against my vulva, groaning as he does, avoiding full penetration.

My kisses are getting more desperate when he pulls away. Adding a quick squirt of bath soap to the cloth, he hands the cloth to me with a twinkle in his eye. 

Um… Um… Clean him. Okay. Takes me a second before I start returning the favor. It is clear that he is holding back, enjoying the tease. I wash his back best I can, wash his front. I take extra care as I slip the cloth to his erection and balls, taking a few gentle strokes to make extra sure he's clean. The moan from his lips definitely made that worth it. 

I bend down to wash his legs so the shower can wash away his front. When I come back up, I kiss the tip of his cock, and continue standing up. 

“Alright. I'm done waiting,” he growls. He lifts me up easily and crashes his lips against mine, pressing me against the wall again, warmed by our steamy shower. 

He slides in carefully and I cry out feeling finally complete again. Smiling so tenderly, he lightly bounces me up and down for each stroke. I have no idea how he has so much strength. But between the wet bodies, and his driving into my core, I feel like every nerve ending in me is alive and crying out in pleasure. 

He's grunting with the effort, but my god I don't think hell on earth could stop him at this point. I don't even know what I'm moaning at this point I just know that it feels so good and I never want this to end as inside I clench repeatedly, falling over the precipice of orgasm. Baba's movements get more ragged as he follows me over and I can feel inside me get slicker as he cums with a loud cry of his own.

We cling to each other, not wanting to move for a moment, the water still pelting warm down upon us, as we catch our breaths. His kisses are so tender, and I hold him like he's made of threads of glass. He lifts me up, and I unhook my legs so I can stand again when he puts me down. I'm a little wobbly though and he holds me to make sure I am steady. 

Our hairs are both plastered against our heads. He laughs and reaches back to grab the shampoo and hand it to me. I look at the shampoo for a minute and look at him, and back at it, trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do. He starts laughing even more, and opens it for me. Still staring, he pours it out into his own hand, and he starts lathering up his head. As my senses return, I do the same. We take turns rinsing our hair and finishing up our shower. 

*********************

After we dry off, we go back into our bedroom and lounge naked on the bed for a little. He's playing with my wet hair as I look up at him. The pleasure chemicals washing out of my mind though, I have to ask, “A-am I forgiven, Mitsu?”

There's not even a beat before he answers, “You were days ago, _______.” His smile is so tender. In relief, I pounce him and bury my face in his chest, breathing in his fresh and clean scent. His hand turns to petting my hair again, “When I got the call from Ota saying you had been taken, it felt like my world had fallen out from under me. I mean, I knew I would find you, wherever you were. Honestly, I had almost forgotten in the time in between you were so very much already forgiven, the only thing I could think was my baby was scared and I had to take care of it.”

I grip him tighter. “Oh, baby, come on, I need to breathe too,” he chuckles. Oh! I look up, tears in my eyes as I let go.

I have so many questions though. “With me… How did you… the artifact…”

“Trade secret,” he smiles. “What, did you just fall in love with me all over again?” I nod in awe. “Aw, princess, I fall in love with you all over again every day.” He boops my nose with his finger and just looks at me. 

I start laughing. He takes that as the signal to start getting up again. “Should we get up again and get about getting things in order to get back to Dubai?”

Oh. Vacation is over already, I guess. “I still have a few days left on the time I'm expected to be gone though.”

“What I want, more than anything else in the world right now, is to get back to Dubai, hand off things, get a bunch of groceries, and hole up in the house boat somewhere off the coast of Dubai so we can eat, play, watch movies, and make love to our hearts' content without any interruption from anyone else. Does that sound like fun to you?” He almost looks a bit shy as he blushingly asks me. 

“Oh my god, that sounds like utter bliss, Baba.”

“Who?”

“MITSU! Utter bliss, Mitsu. Sorry, it's going to take a little to get it so I'm thinking of you with a different name.” My face goes completely red. He untangles himself from me, and gets up to wrap a towel around himself. He's laughing as he goes out into the main room to grab our baggage so we can get dressed. 

The playfulness doesn't end even as we get dressed to go grab something to eat. The rest of the trip is so utterly uneventful and smooth that day, it's hard to believe we were ever here for anything other than vacation or that anything had gone wrong. I try not to think about it too much though so I don't freak out again. 

We're back in Dubai before I know it, leaving for our solitary excursion.


End file.
